


risking it all for a friend

by vhscassette



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 16:52:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15867759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vhscassette/pseuds/vhscassette
Summary: a 'death-swap' idea i had during the fight against vegeta, nappa, and the saibamen.





	risking it all for a friend

"Let me have the honor of punching this little broccoli-head's lights out," Yamcha said, smirking as he gently moved Tien to the side. Somehow to hell, he managed to swallow his crippling uncertainty of coming out of this alive.

 

"Huh. Cocky, are we?" Tien asked under his breath, smirking in response. Yamcha rolled his eyes and flicked him off, earning a chuckle. "Get 'em, Yamcha. Knock 'em out," Tien encouraged, voice slowly becoming firm.

 

And, as expected, Yamcha let himself be a little shithead. Long hair, don't care, he grew up alone in the fucking _desert_ of all places. If Yamcha couldn't handle some stupid cabbage-wannabes, then he might as well _be_ dead at this point.

 

The footsteps he left in the dust as he walked forward made him hope it wasn't the only remnants of him left at the end of this mess.

 

"Alright, you little fuck, take your shot. I'll knock your damn head off," Yamcha taunted as he entered the imaginary ring between him and the Saibaman, his eyes sparking with determination and a flaunt that just can't be ignored.

 

"Eager," the strange man with pointy black hair commented, his large, muscular partner chuckling.

 

"Eager to die."

 

The Saibaman launched himself at Yamcha, Yamcha dashing to the left and forward before pivoting on one foot and managing to land a good kick between the neck and head. The Saibaman shuddered as an odd crack resounded, Yamcha rebounding high only to push himself down with his ki once again. 'Aim for the middle, the middle,' Yamcha repeated in thought, wind whistling in his ears as he forced himself faster downward.

 

The Saibaman seemed to have trouble doing much of anything, finding itself unable to move. In a rush, Yamcha slammed his foot harshly at the base of the Saibamen's skull, the Saibaman suddenly limp and falling to the ground. This all occurred in the span of about seven seconds. Yamcha couldn't stop shaking.

 

The wind blew dust across the field, Krillin and Chiaotzu bursting into a cheer. "He did it!" Chiaotzu yipped, Krillin hollering loudly across the field. Yamcha smiled, adrenaline flooding through him. Four more left, and he still felt afraid.

 

"Well, how about that?" Yamcha taunted, voice much more steady than his fingers, "Your little cabbage-patch ain't shit." He got a good look at the Saiyans. The muscle-y one seemed to be extremely surprised, the spiky haired one merely amused.

 

"Vegeta, that one had the same power level as Raditz. How the hell did he knock him out so quickly?" the larger Saiyan asked, a harsh confusion in his voice. Yamcha felt satisfied. Hell yeah, he fuckin' knocked him out.

 

"Complete impairment caused by neck injury, Nappa. He's a fast one, I can tell. Regardless, though, it doesn't really matter," Vegeta commented, inspecting Yamcha with his scouter. "Throw some more onto them. They'll handle it, I'm sure," Vegeta smirked, eyes glinting darkly.

 

Nappa shrugged. "Whatever. You three, go out," Nappa ordered of three Saibamen, the group of them grunting affirmatively before beginning to slowly move out towards Yamcha.

 

Well, fuck.

 

"Hey," Tien said as he moved beside Yamcha, "don't worry. Like you said, some broccoli-heads, right?" Yamcha felt Tien rub his shoulder with a hand, Chiaotzu moving and levitating behind Yamcha.

 

"Yeah," Chiaotzu said firmly, "We can knock em out." Yamcha nodded, the three of them moving into stance form.

 

"Guys, be careful!" Gohan called out, Krillin echoing as the three of them powered up.

 

* * *

 

Yamcha launched himself at an upcoming Saibaman, and _this_ one knew to avoid attacks from behind. In a flurry of speed and black hair, Yamcha ended up getting punched hard in the face as he attempted to crush the Saibaman's neck. He somehow managed to grab the Saibaman's foot amidst his now-rushing nosebleed and slammed him hard into the ground. Pain crinkled and throbbed through his face, but all Yamcha could do was spit out the blood.

 

The Saibaman screeched before attempting to crawl out of the dirt and away from Yamcha, but Yamcha merely chuckled.

 

"Fuck with me," Yamcha threatened, quickly charging up a ki blast and blasting the alien into a pile of burned flesh.

 

Sweat and blood mixed as it dripped down Yamcha's mouth and through his chin. The blood that ran down his throat scorched him almost as much as the ache in his sinuses, and he hoped to any god listening that he didn't get _another_ fuckin' facial scar. He hated the sweet, iron-like taste of blood so much that he nearly gagged.

 

Didn't have time for it, though.

 

Yamcha quickly turned around, inspecting the area. Chiaotzu was in the middle of throwing a Saibaman up into the air, and Tien punched the holy _shit_ outta some poor cabbage-head. Yamcha decided to join in once more.

 

Chiaotzu noticed Yamcha beginning to rush in and motioned towards the now-airborne Saibaman. He jumped, targeted the Saibaman, and kicked him harshly upwards before grabbing his green, odd-looking little legs.

 

"Take it out, Chiaotzu!" Yamcha yelled, throwing the injured Saibaman down to the ground.

 

"Hii-" Chiaotzu said, raising his energy, "-yah!!" A forceful ki blast through the stomach--narrowly avoided by Yamcha-- sent the Saibamen tumbling to the ground, not moving. Yamcha let himself drop towards the ground, chuckling daringly to the Saiyans before taking a glance towards Tien. His little Saibaman was almost out, Yamcha could tell.

 

Something, however, launched onto Yamcha's back before he moved to help. His arms were restricted, and Chiaotzu screamed.

 

"What- what's on me? Chiaotzu!" Yamcha yelled, noticing the familiar green arms he once fought slowly shimmering with light.

 

Oh, shit.

 

The little fucker _wouldn't budge_ \- god, he was trying to blow up!- he was going to die- "God, let the fuck _go_ of me!"

 

The light only shimmered further, the Saibaman laughing mercilessly.

 

Suddenly, Yamcha saw Tien rush towards him, all hands and horrific fear on his face. The Saibaman was ripped off of Yamcha, only for Tien to push Yamcha away.

 

Tien was still holding the Saibaman when it blew up.

 

* * *

 

Yamcha felt the burn, the ringing in his ears, the world spinning as he stared straight up, before suddenly managing to _sit_ up. Chiaotzu was clutching his head, obviously having the same fate he did, when he noticed that he couldn't see Tien.

 

All he could see was a crater in the ground.

 

"Oh.." Yamcha whispered, dizziness overtaking him, "Oh, no."

 

Stumbling, falling the fuck _over,_ oh _god_ , Yamcha crawled towards the crater. Tien was in there, burnt. The explosion had blasted off the arm that had held the Saibaman moments prior, along with severely burning the skin on his chest and arms if it hadn't just taken it clean off as it was. Tien's eyes, dazed open, were vacant. There was nothing left.

 

".. Yamcha," Chiaotzu whimpered, not having looked into the crater himself, "Don't tell me. Just don't."

 

Chiaotzu got what he wanted, because Yamcha _couldn't_ tell him. He was too busy trying to shake Tien awake, begging him to get up, desperately looking for a pulse that wasn't there. Yamcha felt Krillin move over in a rush before he cringed at Tien's corpse.

 

"God.. God damnit," Krillin said, voice shaking as he wiped his clammy forehead. "He just-.. he just.. Jesus."

 

Chiaotzu began sobbing, levitating towards the corpse and wailing louder upon seeing it. Vegeta merely laughed.

 

"What an idiot. Strong one, too," Vegeta commented with a smirk, Nappa chuckling to himself.

 

"I'll never understand why these humans all have such a mercy complex," Nappa said, Krillin standing up in rage.

 

"You shut the fuck up about Tien, you hear me?!" Krillin yelled, voice heavy with a deep set rage, "He could've single handedly killed all your little fuckin' Saibamen and he _would've_ , too!"

 

"It would have, if only.." Vegeta mused out loud, a glance towards Yamcha making itself much too obvious for the group.

 

Yamcha froze.

 

Chiaotzu rose from the ground, shaking as he attempted to stop crying.

 

"Guys, stop! They're just trying to lure you in!" Chiaotzu desperately pleaded, "I- I don't want to lose you guys, too!" Nappa laughed louder.

 

"The little guy even _knows_ they're done for! Maybe he's a little bit smarter than the rest of 'em, huh, Vegeta?" Nappa taunted, Vegeta sighing and shaking his head.

 

"That's enough, Nappa," Vegeta said dryly.

 

Yamcha found himself frozen over Tien's corpse. 'If only it wasn't for you,' continued to ring through his head. No, no, even _more_ than that, Tien's gone. Tien saved him. Tien, the stoic, serious, determined fighter that he had the pleasure of calling a partner, had saved his life and disappeared into wherever was next alone.

 

Tien gave up his gift of life and disappeared into the darkness, and what did Yamcha have to show for it?

 

 

 

He wondered where Tien was right now.

 

Yamcha's thoughts were suddenly interrupted with a large energy blast slamming into the dirt to his left.

 

"We've given you more than enough time. I'm done playing games," Vegeta said, firing off another warning shot as Yamcha flung himself out of the way. Dust hazed the area as Yamcha and Krillin coughed, Yamcha noticing how empty he felt. The tears that rolled down his face cut through the dirt and blood.

 

Then, he felt Chiaotzu's power level rise.

 

"Chiaotzu, wait! No, you can't- don't!" Yamcha cried out into the dust, feeling Chiaotzu skyrocket out of the haze.

 

"Me too, scum!" Chiaotzu screamed, immediately clearing the dust with how utterly _fast_ he was. The speed even seemed to shock Nappa and Vegeta before Chiaotzu suddenly disappeared into thin air.

 

"Magic tricks, huh?" Nappa smirked before Vegeta immediately shushed him. "Vegeta? What's wrong?"

 

"Shut the hell _up_ , Nappa; something feels.. wrong," Vegeta said, low and distracted.

 

Nappa and Vegeta's skin slowly reddened. Vegeta immediately went stiff as a board before taking off his scouter, looking in every direction. "What the hell?!" Vegeta yelled, a strange note of urgency in his voice.

 

Piccolo pulled Gohan away from the fight and hid themselves behind a small boulder. Krillin followed, Yamcha staying still.

 

Somehow, Yamcha could see the waves that were trapping the Saiyans like an invisible bubble. The waves rose, almost humming with a low vibration. Vegeta and Nappa's scouters began beeping, Vegeta grunting at the sudden warning.

 

"What the hell- ugh, Jesus! Where the hell is that little shit?! I'll rip his head off!" Nappa growled, clutching his head as his skin continued to flush red.

 

"'Hazardous Environment Warning'.. God's sake. These damned things are useless! Nappa! Whatever he's doing, stop him!" Vegeta barked, Nappa attempting to track him with his scouter.

 

"Well, it'd be fuckin' nice if these things could _track_ him!" Nappa replied, clutching his head.

 

"If it's the last thing I do for him and for anyone else," Chiaotzu's voice hazed from oblivion, "I'll make you see Hell."

 

Vegeta grit his teeth, moving from spot to spot in attempts to get whatever effect was on him off. "You insolent brat! God, forget waiting! I've had enough of this trash!" Vegeta yelled before suddenly hunching over, gripping his stomach and groaning. Nappa attempted to blast his ki off in various directions before stopping on the ground, shaking.

 

"You won't be doing anyth-.. doing anything, killers," Chiaotzu said, his voice shivering in exhaustion.

 

Yamcha watched, utterly stunned at the extreme power Chiaotzu was demonstrating. Suddenly, though, Vegeta caught Yamcha's glance and all he could think of was Tien's corpse in the crater. Vegeta stomped over, Yamcha attempting to escape before he was grabbed by the throat.

 

Yamcha suddenly felt the world spin, his body nearly falling limp in Vegeta's shaking, clenching fist.

 

"Kill me, and kill your little friend, too," Vegeta growled, his voice breaking as he fell to his knees, still holding Yamcha. Yamcha nearly fainted and fell down with him.

 

"Oh.. Oh, god," Chiaotzu's voice hazed.

 

Yamcha barely managed to gather the comprehension to speak. "No, save- save.. the world.. the.. my.." he breathlessly spoke, not from the loose hand squeezing his neck but the inability to breathe. He was going to black out, _die_ from radiation poisoning. Tears streamed weakly down his face as he began drowning in the lack of comprehension.

 

"Don't let me die here, Tien. Please. Please, stay here, Tien. I'll make it up to you, please," Yamcha, eyes near rolled in the back of his head, pleaded in whispers to himself. He kept pleading even after Vegeta let go of him, even after Chiaotzu stopped his energy attack. Even after Chiaotzu regained his physical form, destroyed by his own radiation. Television static, white noise.

 

Even after Nappa weakly grabbed Chiaotzu by the neck and snapped. Television static.

 

And even after when Chiaotzu fell lifelessly to the ground. Television static.

 

Yamcha lost the ability to exist.

 

He watched blankly as he heard Gohan wail, Krillin burst into tears, and Piccolo angrily try reasoning with himself as to what the _hell_ went wrong. It was blank. It _all_ was. Vegeta said something about a possibly permanent affliction. An odd energy poisoning of sorts. Well, hell, Yamcha knew what that 'poisoning' was. They all suffered from it, and it was called 'love.' Wasn't that right, Tien? They all suffered a little bit from it. That's why he died. That's why Chiaotzu died, too, because he stopped all for Yamcha.

 

For a friend.

 

Through his dizziness and lack of understanding, Yamcha managed to stand up. The world didn't make sense, not anymore. He felt Tien and Chiaotzu's presence from far behind him, singing some lullaby he only heard when he was a baby. Sickness started spinning in the pit of his stomach, and Yamcha couldn't help but cry to himself. The world was so beautiful. Really, it was.

 

He saw Krillin's face from afar and couldn't help but giggle amidst his sobs. He must've looked like an idiot. Oh, well.

 

If Chiaotzu died, and Tien did, too, well, time to knock out the third pin!

 

Yamcha managed to scavenge up energy that lay in the burned corners of his body. His fun move, the _cool_ move, the one that awed all the ladies before he was destined to kill himself in some shitty wasteland. The world spun, almost pleasant before the nausea kept kicking in. His skin prickled and burned like he sat in the sun too much. Great.

 

Electricity began building up around him as he tried to get into the fighting position he always did during fights. It felt strange, like he was controlling a doll's body that definitely wasn't his. He heard Krillin yell something about stopping, something about how he's already burned himself out.

 

Not yet, at least, old pal.

 

"Wolf Fang Fist!" Yamcha heard himself yell, tears obstructing his exclamation as he sprinted towards Vegeta. It may have been a dizzy run, a not-so-fast run at that, but damn it, he had to. Tien wouldn't forgive him if he didn't try his best, right? No one would. Not even Bulma. Especially not Bulma. 'You see,' Yamcha heard Bulma say in his head, 'this is all you are; stealing things and never giving them back.'

 

 

'You took Tien and Chiaotzu's life.'

 

 

Now, give it _back_ , you fucking cretin.

  


 

 

Yamcha screamed viscerally as he attacked Vegeta, nearly vomiting as his wolf form lunged at him. Vegeta growled, almost as dizzy as him, before clutching his arm with both hands. Plunging his nails into Yamcha's elbow, the pain registering on a psychological level, Vegeta powered up and slammed him into the ground. Yamcha could only groan in agony, his arm bleeding. He couldn't give it back like  _this._

 

"You and your little group have done far too much damage than I care to stand. To hell with Goku and this damned planet. You'll be my revenge," Vegeta said lowly before blasting off a blue ki charge straight into Yamcha.

 

Yamcha thought he died for a few moments.

 

Tien and Chiaotzu kept singing their lullaby.

 

It hurt. It hurt from everywhere, and the dizziness threatened to take him away from existence. It really did. But then, Yamcha opened his eyes and saw Vegeta staring at him with an almost maniacal grin.

 

He looked to his right and saw that his arm and shoulder was blasted off, charred black.

 

Like a doll, like a doll.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> [chiaotzu's hidden ability was radiation manipulation. i thought, ykno, since chiaotzu can manipulate psychic-power shit, why not make that shit a real threat]  
> [and no i dont know how related psychic power is to radiation manipulation]  
> [im a fanfic writer not a scientist]  
> [hope u enjoyed ;)]


End file.
